I'm not going to say I don't love a bargain - I do, greatly. Actually, to be honest, sometimes I can be downright cheap. As many of you know, this can sometimes help being a greenie! I am, however, sometimes confused by the green movement.
My recent confusion stems from an update on a prior confusion (did that make sense?). I'm sure you all know how Wal Mart now carries organic shirts to try and appeal to crowds that they may have not appealed to before. I was a bit confused by this. I'd love organic items to be more accessible to a wider population, and Wal Mart did that, but... come on! It's Wal Mart!
Now I'm going through the same thought process. Wal Mart's newest organic endeavor includes organic jeans. Again, it makes the option available to many more people than it was previously available to - I checked the website, and the current selection are priced at $18 a pair. I think about how great it is that more people can now afford organic clothing, but then I think about everything else Wal Mart is known for - shutting down small businesses who can't afford to compete, low wages, etc., etc.
Is Wal Mart trying to do better by their customers, or is it all just for the money? With the attempts at providing a green line of clothing, will they make an attempt at improving employee relations, etc.? What are your thoughts on all this?
I know at least a couple of the readers here would say it's easy - Wal Mart is evil, plain and simple. But when is anything ever simple? It is hard to see anything positive in the motivation behind large corporations, but maybe I just want to see it... maybe I need to see it. I'm not going to be naive, I know the high possibility of disappointment, but I can't help but hope for something better...
February 26th, 2009 at 11:22 am
I watched a documentary recently on WalMart (the name is escaping me right now), and one other disturbing thing about them is their use of 'sweatshops'. So while these clothes may contain organic cotton, who is making them, and for how much... especially at that price.
February 26th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
I think it is a bit of both.
Walmart is trying to make a profit, and the "green" or "organic" market is huge right now.
But, also going "green" or "organic" is good for their image. So I think they are trying to also make it look like they care about the environment and etc.
February 27th, 2009 at 12:12 am
They certainly have not done enough greening to get me to shop there. Despite my love for bargains, there are just too many things that I don't like about them and I question their motive also.
February 27th, 2009 at 12:48 am
Using a fabric that is organic is fabulous yes. Using a labour force that has no freedom of speech and has working conditions that in North America we would find stifling, tells me the corporation is playing the game of Marketing and not the one of inspiring the market. I would like to see Walmart start producing their goods in the country that gave them the opportunity to open their doors to the public. I think only then, would I consider shopping there. There is always a price for a price.
February 27th, 2009 at 1:08 am
Whatever Wal Mart is doing right now is benefit for both customer and themselves also like as you told "I checked the website, and the current selection are priced at $18 a pair" that's really a great offer from Wal Mart and i would like to buy it and as per my thinking Wal Mart still great and doing well for its customers.
February 27th, 2009 at 1:09 am
Well, I can't hardly resist all the cheap bargain, especially the green movement, Stefanie. It's nice to hear this news!
February 27th, 2009 at 3:22 am
I would love to join your optimism about WalMart being concerned about the consumer, but I can't make that leap. WalMart saw an untapped market and wanted to shore up that leak in their product line/marketing strategy. They are bad news for the small producer, the worker, and US industry. Does anybody remember when they were proudly announcing that they carried "Made in the USA" products and it was the main focus of their advertising? They no longer even make that attempt. They couldn't outprice every competitor if they didn't purchase from sweatshops at cutthroat bulk rates. Some people will believe they care, and that will help their "Green" image, but it is all 'smoke and mirrors.'
February 27th, 2009 at 8:35 am
It's all for the money - Walmart is evil. I don't care what the "bargain" is - it isn't worth exploiting other people and children. Furthermore, there are plenty of true examples where Walmart choose money over "green" (what about the Walmart parking lot they built over the turtle breeding grounds!? - all they had to do was wait a month until the poor things had hatched. Huge controversy, money won.
February 27th, 2009 at 10:57 am
Stefanie, you probably know that I am one of Walmart's ElevenMoms. I had a lot of the same concerns before I joined the group for these same reasons. But having been part of it for a few months now and having high green ideals, I can honestly say that the company is trying to do better. Of course there's a lot about the way Walmart operates that can be scrutinized, and rightly so. But they are actually doing a lot of good too. Their green initiatives go further than just the products on their shelves. They are doing a lot of things companywide that the public doesn't know about.
In large part, the reason I joined ElevenMoms in the first place was to try to affect positive change at Walmart. Contrary to what many people think -- even what I thought -- they really are listening to the complaints that people have and acting on them.
We can't expect them to be the next Patagonia or Gaiam. They are, after all, the largest retail company in the world because of their desire to offer products for the lowest prices. But knowing that they have millions of customers, one small change for the better on the part of Walmart will have a huge impact on the environment. Can you imagine the impact it would have if Walmart stopped using plastic shopping bags? It would be immense.
That's just my 2 cents
February 27th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Another one of the ElevenMoms here - just wanted to add to Jennae's comment that if you're interested in seeing what Walmart is doing on the sustainability front, you might find the information and videos of their Beijing Summit really helpful.
http://walmartstores.com/Sustainability/8685.aspx
It happened in October and was live-streamed.
February 28th, 2009 at 8:57 am
I myself, am a big believer that Wal-Mart is indeed run by the devil himself! Their corporate business practices are all that is wrong with world and the treatment of their employees are equally wrong! If given a choice between purchasing their products and being dissected and pickled by aliens, I choose the aliens!
I'm just saying....
~Wind
March 1st, 2009 at 8:22 am
I'd never step foot in one...before..now...or ever...
Organic is awesome, but if it's organic and made in a sweat shop or other areas that aren't up to standard then that's not cool.
I've hated walmart from the get go and there's reason's their prices are so low.
Go to http://www.youtube.com and search "Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price"
You'll see for yourself.
Not to mention in FL they built an entire store over turtle homes because the city was a sell out and gave them permits to go ahead and bury the turtles alive under their foundation...yea...not cool.
So while they're "becoming green", I personally think it's just a ploy to get sell outs into the store and try to improve their funky reputation but I'll gladly never step foot in one!
March 1st, 2009 at 4:54 pm
I agree with many of the other commentors in thinking that Walmart is trying to fill its pockets more. The green movement has really gone mainstream and it always sounds more appealing when you throw out words like organic and eco-friendly. I would rather buy locally than continue to support a company like walmart that only cares about money and little about helping the community.
March 1st, 2009 at 6:35 pm
@Tara Burner:
Can I ask an honest question of you? I posted a link above to Walmart's Beijing summit to show you how they are committed to changing how the supply side works and to be more green - but you brought up the 2004 documentary on YouTube - did you watch the videos on the link I posted?
Someone asked me the other day if I'd ever seen it - of course I have - but I've also seen the one I linked as well. That one was made in October of 2008.
I have a hard time with people who say "this is outrageous!! Company X needs to change!" and then when the company says "Okay, you're right - we'll change that" and starts doing it, won't allow for it.
It has been 5 years since that video came out - time to accept that maybe it had an impact and the company heard and is taking steps to change.
We all make mistakes - heaven forbid that people refuse to ever give us the opportunity to fix them or the credit for doing so.
March 1st, 2009 at 6:42 pm
Lucretia
nope I didn't watch your video nor will I.
I personally despise walmart and all they do...so no matter what effort they may make or attempt to make it still doesn't change all the other injustices that are going on.
That'd be like saying "look at me, I'm giving to a green company but meanwhile we're underpaying people, getting products made in sweat shops, selling craptastic product form china, but hey we're planting trees and offering organic jeans and hey piss on the little mom & pop shops that we've put out of business along the way so we can sell people our craptastic china products for cheap"
NO THANKS!
I won't waste my time watching any of their "attempts" to do anything...still chalk it up as greenwashing and an attempt to portray some 'great' company...
and no matter whether 5 yrs or not, they still killed turtles by buying the danged money hungry city licensing here to build on top of them...so yea no matter what they do that's not going to change anything.
I'm vegan, I'm natural, I'm an activist as well as a business owner and I also make sure to purchase from companies that have a solid reputable background and no matter what...walmart never will and I'll never step foot in one.
March 1st, 2009 at 6:50 pm
@Tara - okay. I can totally accept your decision on that. I'm not sure how you would ever know if they changed all of those things if you're unwilling to even see if they have - but I also get that you've made your decision and are standing behind it.
For me personally? I changed my mind about them after being shown the honest and genuine efforts of the employees inside the organization itself to make changes - but that was my choice, and I'm a firm believer in choice.
Best!!
LMP
March 1st, 2009 at 6:52 pm
no matter what they do, you can't change they killed...
and you can't change that they have craptastic china products that are well..craptastic...I'll stick to quality and fair trade and legitimate companies not killers & companies like them
March 1st, 2009 at 6:56 pm
@Tara
Completely understood. You are correct that I can't (no one can) change what has happened in the past. I'm just of the viewpoint that you *can* change what you do in the future, and you should never let the fact that you have done wrong in the past become an excuse for not doing better today *and* tomorrow.
I will say tho that the point of the Beijing summit was to change the horrid practices in China and to improve those products - but that's neither here nor there at this point in our discussion.
Thanks for discussing it with me. Best to you.
LMP
March 1st, 2009 at 8:08 pm
That may well have been the point of the Beijing summit, but the sad fact is it is all 'lip service' to calm the turbulent outcry. The bottom line is that WalMart can make all the gestures it wants, but the real underlying issues remain the same AS LONG AS WALMART UNDERBIDS WITH CHEAP LABOR/PRODUCT in order to put all other business out of business. I trust NOTHING from China, especially as long as they run companies blatantly called GreedFood [Greedfood Yili Fresh Milk](go ahead and google that name while you're googling). If we as a public don't wake up, we are going to be the cooked frog in the pot, and it will be too late. Only we have the power to demand change. I will not support WalMart until they bring ALL their production factory work back to USA and sell USA made products. I will not hold my breath.
March 2nd, 2009 at 5:13 am
So, as i see, the majority does not believe in true intentions, i do not beleive in them either. Walmart is known for using unfair methods to receive profits. Greenness is another marketing strategy to gain more green money.
March 2nd, 2009 at 1:15 pm
I definitely respect all of your opinions and your right to feel the way that you feel. For the people who hate Walmart -- and there are a lot -- nothing the company does will ever make a difference in your opinion of them. I, however, prefer to try to spur the type of change that everyone says Walmart needs to make. It may be an unpopular position, but I figure instead of complaining about the problem, I'd much rather try to be a part of the solution, even if it is a small part.
March 5th, 2009 at 5:23 am
I haven't gone to walmart, so i can't know whether i will love walmart or hate it.
But i think, walmart just cares with money, because most of minimarkets just don't care what the customer is doing, and I've been to some big Supermarkets that also do the same thing (although they're in overseas) and I think it's just the same in Walmart
March 11th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
I'm glad this post got everyone talking, I was hoping that it would.
I know the feeling of believing a large company has no good motives in mind when doing something like going green. I usually feel the same way, but I can't help but question if I might be wrong. I tend to see the negative in everything, but also try to hope for the positive, even if it's highly unlikely.
I do think Wal Mart is doing what they doing solely to try and improve their image, but I also hope that one day, they will do it because they are sincere in helping people. We'll see...
May 24th, 2009 at 10:38 pm
Very interesting article! I think being green has always been fairly expensive and it's good to see Walmart will be offering products like organic jeans for $18 -- that's a killer deal. I'm sure in 2-3 years or less they will roll out an entire section dedicated to eco-friendly products.